2011 Fred "Cappy" Capossela - Sensational Slam

Sensational Slam, returning from a six-month layoff and competing over conventional dirt for the first time, made an inexorable charge to win the $65000 Fred "Cappy" Capossela for owner Bobby Flay on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. A two-time stakes winner against Ontario-breds over Woodbine's artificial surface last summer, Sensational Slam trailed in fifth up the backstretch, came under a drive with three furlongs to go, and gradually reeled in the pacesetters to prevail by three-parts of a length under Ramon Dominguez. "Todd said to me, 'Ramon, there should be some speed in here, but you're going to have to ride him and you're going to have to help him,'" said Dominguez. "Sure enough, that's exactly the way he was. Pretty much every step of the way I had to encourage him a little bit, but when it was time to pick it up, he was there for me." The Capossela was the fourth start overall for Sensational Slam, who was exiting a ninth-place finish in the Grade 3 With Anticipation on turf at Saratoga Race Course on September 3. Prior to that effort, the son of Grand Slam was a narrow winner of the Vandal and Clarendon at Woodbine in July. "The horse was training well so we were optimistic, but it was the first time we had run him on the [dirt]," said winning trainer Todd Pletcher. "This looked like a good place to give it a try. The race unfolded like we thought it would. We thought there'd be plenty of pace, and he's not a real ambitious horse, especially early on. I just ...